Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-03-26

Catherine de Medices got her death
from smelling a poisonous rOse.--
Columbus by stopping and asking
for a piece of bread and a drink Of
water at a Franciscan convent, was
led to the discovery of a new world.
And there is an intimate connec.
ton between triHes and immense
ties, between nothings and every
things.
Now, he careful to let none of
those annoyances go through your
soul unarraigned. Compel them to
administer to your spiritual wealth.
The scratch of sixpenny nail
sometimes produces lock: iaw, and
the clip Of i. most infnitesimal an
noyance may damage you forever.
Do not let any annoyance or per-
plexity come across your soul with
out IFS making You better.
Our national Government does
not think 1t helittliIg to put a tax
on pins and tax on buckles and Il
tax on shoes. The individual tax
eS do not amount TO much, hut in
the aggregate to millions and mil
lions of dollars. And l would have
you, On. Christian man, put high
tariff on every annoyance and yeX
alton that come through your soul.
This might not amount to much, in
siugle Gu 'es, but in the aggregate
it would be a great revenue of spir
itual strength and satisfaction
A bee can suck honey even out of
q nettle; and if you have the grace
Of God in your heart you can get
sweetness ont Of hat-which would
otherwise irritate and annoy, A
returned missionary told me that
a company ct adventures rowing
up the Gauges We're Stung to death
by flies that inteSt that region AT
certain seasons. | have seen the
earth strewed with carcaSses olmen
slain by insect annoyances. The
only way to get prepared for the
great troubles Of life is to conquer
these small troubles. What would
you say of a soldier who refused to
load his gun or to go into the con-
hict because 1t was only u sklrniSh.
saying, Il am not going to expend
my ammunition on n skirmish;wait
anti there GENES general engage
ment, and then you will see how
courageous ] am and what battling
will dor The general would say
tosuch a man, "Ify0n are not faith
full in a skirmish you wonld be moth.
inc in general engagement" And
| have to tell you, oh, Christian
men, if yon cannot apply the prin-
ciples of Christ'S religion on Il
small scale YOU will never be able
to apply them on a large scale.
III had my way with you would
have you possess all possible world
~ prosperity. / would have you
each one a garden--a river flowing
through it, geraniums and shrubs
on the sides. and the grass and
flowers lis beautiful as though the
rainbow had fallen. / would have
you house, a splendid mansion,
and the bed should be covered
with upholstery dipped in the set.
ting sun. j would have every hall
in your house set with statues and
Statuettcs, and then l would have
he four quarters of the globe pour
in all their luxurieS oil your table,
and you slonld have forks of silver
and knives Of gold, inlaid with dia-
monds and amethysts. Then You
should each one Of you have the
finest horses, and your pick Of the
equipages Of the world. Then |
woult have you live a hundred and
fifty years, and you should not
have a pam or ache until the last
breath. '.Not each one of uS?" you
say. Yes, each one of you. SHOT
70 your enemies?" Yes, the only
difference | would make with them
would he that I would put a little
extra gilt on their walls, and a lit
tie extra embroidery on their slip
pers. But you say. "Why does
not God give us all these things
All! l bethink myself. He is wiser.
1t would make fools and sluggards
OF us if we had our way. No man
puts his best picture in the portico
or vestbule of his house. God
meant this world to be the vesti-
bule of heaven, that great gallery
of the universe towards which we
are aspiring. Wen uSt not have it
too good in this world, or We would
want no heaven.
Polycarp was condemned to be
burnt to death. The stake was
planted. He was fastened to it.
The Iaggots were placed around
him, the fires kinGled, but history
tells us that the flames bent out
ward like the canvass of a ship in
a stout breeze, so that the flames
instead of destroying Polycarr,w were
only a wall between him and his
enemies. They had actually to de-
stroy him with the poniard; the
flames W. Md not touch him. Well,
my nearer, | want you to under
stand that by Gods grace the
flames Of trial instead of cousum
ing your soul are only going to be
a wall of defence, and a canopy of
blessing. God is going to fulfill to
you the blessing and the promise
as He did to Polycarp. "WlleD
tbon wa.kpSt thr0uph tho fra tlon